


Baby Megan

by soongtypeprincess



Series: RanSid Gay Dads AU [1]
Category: Outcast (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Parents, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gay Dads AU, Gay Parents, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 07:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12979062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soongtypeprincess/pseuds/soongtypeprincess
Summary: John and Sidney welcome baby Megan Holter into their home.





	Baby Megan

**Author's Note:**

> This AU was started by burntspinach (deliciouslycrzy) and a few of us jumped in on writing fics about this family because we would just all of these characters to be happy, dammit.
> 
> I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS!!

John stood in the nursery in the soft glow of the blue lamp that sat on an old set of chest of drawers. He and Sidney had found the chest of drawers in Rome’s Attic Consignment and, with the help of Byron and his Bronco truck, they brought it home to sand, polish, and lacquer its wood to look like new.

The top drawer was filled with an assortment of baby onesies in different pastel colors and shirts with cartoonish animals, lady bugs, and bumblebees. Tiny socks and bloomers were neatly folded next to shirts along with burp cloths. The second drawer contained two baby-sized bathrobes, one yellow and one purple, and soft cotton hats, some of them with animal ears on the tops of them. The third drawer was stocked with clean diapers and boxes of baby wipes.

He was standing between the crib and the wardrobe, both a canary yellow that they had bought brand new at the IKEA in Charleston. They had spent hours in the nursery showroom with John loading the giant shopping bag with stuffed animals and pillows. Sidney carried in the crook of his elbow a small grey owl with bright golden eyes. He had been drawn to it and thought it would make a good sleep mate for the baby.

Enclosed in the wardrobe were a few outfits hanging on baby-sized hangers: little denim pants, pink overalls, blue sundresses with striped bloomers, as well as sweaters and jackets; gifts from friends in John’s Bible study group and his fellow professors at the community college where he taught Theology and Religious Studies.

John reached into the crib and unfolded the pink and baby blue quilt that Rose Giles had made for the new arrival. He moved around to the front of the crib and draped the blanket over the back of it. He pressed out the wrinkles and straightened it, making sure the image of the Precious Moments girl shepherd with her lambs was front and center.

He gazed into the empty crib and smiled as he picked up the wide-eyed stuffed grey owl that was propped in the corner.

“Honey,” came Sidney’s tired voice from the door, “it’s late. What are you doing?”

John turned as his husband approached his side and he gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. “Hey, baby,” he replied. He quickly stroked the tiny beak of the owl before setting it back in its place.

“Putting on the finishing touches?” Sidney asked with a grin.

John sighed. “I couldn’t fall asleep. Do you think the owl is too scary lookin’?”

Sidney clicked his tongue. “That’s ridiculous. He’s the cutest owl ever and she’s gonna love him.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” John told him. 

There was a moment of quiet as Sidney rested his chin on John’s shoulder. “Are you too excited to sleep?” Sidney asked.

John shrugged. “Maybe…I think I’m more nervous than anything. I don’t have a lot of experience with babies. What if I drop her?”

“John Anderson, you’re not gonna drop the baby,” Sidney said with an amused giggle.

“You don’t know that!” he retorted with a genuine look of concern. “What if when she starts walkin’ around, she runs into the corner of one of the end tables…or gets under the sink? Oh, Lord. I knew I should have bought those cabinet locks.”

“Darlin’,” Sidney said calmly as he placed his arms around John’s waist. “You’re planning too far ahead. She’s barely two months old.” He kissed the back of his neck. “You’re already becoming such a big Papa Bear.”

John smiled. “I like that.” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…’Papa,’ I mean. Should we even refer to ourselves as her…fathers?”

Sidney nodded without hesitation. “I think so. Even if we are her temporary dads. Besides, the state of West Virginia took their sweet time to give us fostering rights in the first place. I think we’re allowed that small luxury.” He looked at John who didn’t reply but just kept staring into the empty crib again. “What else is on your mind, hun?”

John blinked and bit his lip. “Just another ‘what if,’” he said. “You’ll think I’m silly.”

“I already do. What is it?”

John lifted his eyes to him, saying, “What if they change their minds?”

Sidney didn't speak but just squeezed his waist again. “Come to bed, John,” he whispered in his ear. “This may be the last time in a long time we’ll get to sleep through the night.” 

The next morning, they sat quietly at the breakfast table as John poked at his Life cereal as it was getting soggy, relying instead on the sustenance of his black coffee. Sidney was barely reading the newspaper and could suddenly feel a slight vibration on the floor as his husband’s leg bounced nervously. He reached across the table and gently took John’s hand and stroked his fingers. The bouncing stopped and they smiled at each other.

After they had freshened up and gotten dressed, John looked over the nursery once more as Sidney straightened the books on the coffee table and quickly dusted the end tables by the sofa.

When the last-minute cleaning was finished, Sidney sat on the sofa with his hands in his lap. John stood at the window, looking out at their driveway.

“Jesus,” he muttered. “I really want a cigarette, but I don’t wanna smell bad.”

Sidney smiled, saying, “I think you can go a few more hours, John.”

“Maybe it’s time for me to quit,” he sighed, “for real, this time.”

“Uh huh…” 

John looked at Sidney. “You don’t sound convinced.”

“Only because you’ve been saying those exact words since college.”

John smirked. “Well…maybe this is the right time. We’re gonna have a baby in the house now. I don’t want her growin’ up associatin’ the smell of cigarettes with her foster home.”

“Baby, come on, you’re gettin’ too worked up,” Sidney said. “Come sit next to me.”

John complied and Sidney took his hand. “This is gonna be great,” he assured him. “You know that in your heart.”

John nodded. “I’m keepin’ the faith. I’m tryin’.”

“Darlin’, you’re gonna be such a great papa, even if it’s for a little while.”

“Yeah?” John asked, giving Sidney a shy grin. “I just wanna do right by her, the poor thing. Being abandoned and all. She’s got no one in this world, I just hope—“

“She has us,” Sidney said as he squeezed John’s hand. He lifted their clasped hands to his lips and kissed John’s knuckles.

The sound of wheels pulling into the gravel driveway made them jump slightly, and they laughed. 

“Here she is,” Sidney announced. “Let’s go.”

“Okay…” John breathed. He could feel his heart racing in his chest as they opened the front door. 

The social worker was accompanied by a young nurse from the State home. The nurse carried a portable car seat, its light purple visor completely covering the little bundle that was making soft grunting noises as they alighted onto the front porch.

“Good mornin’,” the nurse said in melodious whisper.

“Mornin’,” John greeted. “Is she sleepin’?”

The nurse shook her head. “She’s just now wakin’ up, but I don’t wanna startle her with too much noise.”

“Agreed,” Sidney said as he looked down at the carrier, an excited smile stretching across his face.

After a few pleasantries were exchanged and the social worker retrieved a stack of paperwork from her valise, the nurse lightly placed the car seat on the floor and pulled back the purple visor.

John got onto his knees and placed his hand over his mouth as tears burned his eyes. “Oh, Sid…” he said in a cracked voice, smiling. 

Sidney knelt beside his husband and whispered, “Oh my goodness…she’s the most beautiful baby…oh my Lord…”

She was moving her head from side to side in waking up from her slumber. Copper red hair grew thick on her slightly domed scalp and her little hands were clenched. The baby yawned and opened her eyes, making John and Sidney fawn over her once more.

“She’s got the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen,” Sidney declared. He reached into the car seat and stroked one of her hands with his forefinger. “Hello, there, sweetheart,” he whispered to her. “Hello, Megan. Welcome to our home.”

The baby stared at them with wide, curious eyes and she cracked a half-grin as she stretched her arms above her head and grunted out a tiny laugh.

“Oh, Lord,” John said as he wiped his eyes. “She’s the most perfect little angel sent from heaven.” He felt Sidney put his arm around his shoulder and they leaned against one another as they gazed at her.  
\-----------  
1:00am

Megan opened her eyes and found yellow bunnies hovering above her. She gurgled as she blinked, and her tummy rumbled. The sudden noise startled her and she whined. The whine eventually became a soft cry which then became shrill. She lifted her arms over her head to reach out for the bunnies, but they just continued staring at her.

Sidney had just dozed off, having resisted a deep slumber so that he could listen for the baby to wake up, and just in case the baby monitor didn’t work properly. He found that his husband had anticipated the same scenario because when Sidney jumped out of bed and put on his robe, he found that John was already in the nursery.

He leaned against the door frame and watched as John carefully lifted Megan out of her crib. His dirty blonde hair was ruffled and he was wearing his university t-shirt and plaid boxer shorts. 

Sidney approached them as John rested Megan against his chest. Her crying had ceased but she was still whining. “I’ll go warm up a bottle,” he whispered as he kissed John’s shoulder.

“Okay,” John whispered in a tired voice. He softly patted the baby’s diapered bottom and playfully gasped. “Oh, my,” he said to her, “you’re soaked! I’m sorry, baby.”

He laid her on the changing table and unbuttoned her onesie. “No one likes to sit in their own puddle,” he said, exaggerating his already pronounced West Virginia accent. He noticed this voice made her giggle. “Yew like that?” he asked her in the voice. “Yew thank Papa sounds fuh-nee?” He pushed up the bottom of her onesie and she watched him intensely as he concentrated on changing her diaper. 

John stole a quick glance at her furrowed brow and laughed. “Gimme a chance here, little ‘un. I’m new at this.” He cleaned her with the baby wipes next to him. After he threw away the wipes, he pressed his lips against the soles of her tiny feet and gave them quick kisses.

She shrieked out a laugh and proceeded to eject a stream of fresh urine onto John’s shirt.

John slightly jumped but didn't let go of her feet. When she was done, he looked down at her with a smirk as he produced new baby wipes. “You little stinker,” he playfully scolded her as he cleaned her once more. “Papa’s gonna have to learn to do this faster, huh?”

When the fresh diaper was securely fastened, John removed his soaked t-shirt and tossed it into the baby hamper with the stained burp cloths. He cleaned his hands and chest with another baby wipe before fastening her onesie and lifting her from the changing table. “Let’s go see what’s takin’ Daddy so long,” he said as they descended the stairs.

They found Sidney in the den testing the milk’s temperature by sprinkling it on the top of his hand. John motioned to the sofa with a quick jerk of his head and handed Megan to him. They sat close to one another as Sidney positioned Megan in his arms. She eagerly took the bottle’s nipple into her mouth and made loud sucking noises as she ate. She gazed up at Sidney with curious eyes and the corners of her little mouth curled in a slight smile. 

Sidney smiled back. “Is that good, darlin’?” he asked in a soft voice. “Why, yes, Daddy,” he answered for her, his voice an octave higher. “I was starvin’!”

John grinned as he put his chin on his husband’s shoulder and stroked Megan’s fingers. She took his finger and gripped it as she continued to suck the bottle.

“Where’s your shirt?” Sidney asked him.

“We had a little accident,” John replied.

“She spit up on you, huh?”

John shook his head. “It was wetter than that.”

“Oh, my goodness,” Sidney laughed and shook his head. “It was inevitable.”

“I know…just don’t tickle her feet,” John warned. “I think that’s the trigger.”


End file.
